Jane Badler - Volcano Boy

No surprise that this video makes my pick.  Jane can do no wrong.  Even trapped under a sheet of ice, she smolders.  Giving it all to the camera is one of the most amazing qualities Jane has.  The song is sexy, it's fun and it's giving me the attitude and earnestness I've come to expect from Jane. She is able to be amazingly sexy and sultry without even trying.  That's simply not a talent that can be taught.  You either have to have in innately or not and she has it in spades.  Her longevity in the music industry is sealed as long as she continues to put out amazing track after track.  Because she isn't trying to prove anything to anyone with her music, she has the ability to pick amazing songs that showcase every ounce of her talent and propel her through the stratosphere.  This song is so hot (pun intended).  Love it, love her!

Top 25 Musical Happenings of 2012

It's that time again.  Every year I pick out my most favorite moments from the previous year.  It isn't necessarily a song or an album but something that has happened in the world of music that I feel has a quantifiable effect on the world in one way or another.  There has been a tremendous amount of news this year from the passing away of many beloved artists to formations of new groups and winners all across the board in various musical competitions.  This list is my way of wrapping up the year and giving a nod to everyone that made a difference in my life musically. Without further fanfare, here are the top 25 events in the music industry that have left an indelible mark on my life forever.

Ninthwave Records - Kiss My Lipstick Off (Track-by-Track)

This album does something incredible.  It takes these 11 songs that shouldn't work together and by the sheer nature of the project they all come together into this amazing compilation of anthemic empowering songs that will have you bouncing along before you know it.  This album could easily be imagined as a fall fashion line.  All the tracks have their own individual style and work great on their own but bring them all together and you have something more powerful and the individual parts.  I am a fan of everything about this album; the songs, the track order, the selection of artists... all of it.  I don't think a better album could have been created.



1.  "Kiss My Lipstick Off"
Georgia Haege of Liquid Diet kicks off this incredible compilation with the scorching title track, "Kiss My Lipstick Off".  It's an incredibly cheeky single and the perfect way to let you know what's to come in the next  40 minutes.

2.  "You Can Always Come Home"
England's Synthpop duo, Spray pick up the reins next with "You Can Always Come Home", an awesome reminder that no matter where you are in your journey there will always be a place for you.  The song kind of lampoons itself with a bit of sarcastic wit and self deprecation that adds a sense of honesty and it doesn't matter if things are the way they should be or if life has just given you the boot, there is a place for you.

3.  "Twisted"
Producer extraordinaire Stormby is up with "Twisted" featuring the vocals of Roz.  This is his second release with Roz and it's brilliant.  Much like "In Dreams" both producer and vocalist use their amazing talents to produce a track that for lack of better words, leaves you twisted.

4.  "XTC"
Liz Primo takes the album up a notch with this track.  The bass line throbs and pulsates behind her super sexy voice.  There's no way you're not moving along with this track.  It's a helluva dance track that adds a sense of danger to the album.  I have come to believe that's Liz's middle name, Danger, because she has a quality to her music that is a bit unsafe, like a bit of rough trade.

5.  "Next To Me"
The song that I want to play for the person I decide to spend the rest of my life with brings the album back from being dangerous follows Liz and reminds us that even a 20 year hiatus can't stop the magic that is Nathalie Archangel.  Her voice is as solid today as it was in the 80s and I feel as critically acclaimed as ever. This song is the musical equivalent of sitting on a porch swing with your love drinking coffee on a Sunday monrning.

6.  "Make You Sorry"
In what starts as a ballad-y type of track, Swedish rocker Teresia quickly throws that notion away and cranks up the revenge machine.  Karma is a bitch and now so am I because you pushed me to it.  The lyrics are as sharp as the blade she used to pop your tires and you better just back away slowly before you make it worse.

7.  "Baby, Run! Run!"
Another entry into the "Get the hell out of here" section of the album, Carina Lirola  is just giving you a friendly piece of advice and it's to your benefit to just run.  The amount of synth in this song is incredible.  It's Dale Bozzio meets Julie Brown and it's gorgeous.  Probably one of my favorite tracks on the album.

8.  "Rise of Venus"
Girl power reigns supreme on this track.  It's one part new age meets one part synth with a bit of astrology wrapped up in a neat little package.  This is Chelsea Chavis' first commercial release and if she continues this way, it shouldn't be her last.  With artists like Sky Ferreria, Grimes and Charlie XCX paving the way, Chelsea has an awesome place waiting for her. I could easily see her sharing the stage with Neon Hitch, in a very gypsy style concert like Nomads across America.

9.  "Frozen People"
We'll take a bit of gypsy pop and throw some glitch and wub in it to create something new with Doomsday Affair's addition to the album.  It's a bit dub and it's brings a bit of darkness with.  I am a fan of Darkwave and Olivia has a bit of Ellie Goulding to her voice that is totally set off by the strings and the electronica.  I am a fast fan of this group.

10. "Yesterday's Tomorrows"
My favorite chanteuse is up next and it's gorgeous.  I love Jane Badler and this mix, "Stormby's Drama Mix" takes a brilliant single and amps it up to Alexis and Crystal levels of drama.  Jane has such a presence to her that just draws you in and demands your attention.  When she takes the stage, you will watch her because she is dazzling.

11.  "Bubblegum"
The album comes to a close with Jamie Lovett's ode to being done wrong.  But it's not a cry in your drink song.  It's empowered and it's a bit angry and it's a great way to close things out.  I really dig her voice and want to hear more from her.

Kiss My Lipstick Off is available at all major music outlets or you can pick up the individual singles on Amazon or iTunes.  I say get the whole damn thing because you will be entertained from start to finish.  This is probably going to go into heavy rotation in my library because it all just works together in an incredible way.

Jane Badler - Yesterdays Tomorrows (Official Video)

The wait is over! We've gone from EP release to remixes and now...the video! And what a video it is. The production is so high on this. The imagery is beautiful, the visuals are crisp and above all else; Jane is gorgeous. It's easy to realize that Jane epitomizes timeless beauty and this video does amazing work to prove that. There is a melancholy vibe that quickly shifts to determined resolve as Jane expertly delivers the vocals. She has this ability to channel so much power through her expressions and you absolutely know where you stand with her in this piece. She is flawless as ever and that black dress seem effortless as she makes her way across the beach.

You already know she can do no wrong in my eyes because she is an amazing talent and I have the utmost respect and admiration for her. As long as she continues making music like this she will have a fan in me for the entirety of her career.

Jane Badler - Yesterday's Tomorrows (Ride the Universe Remix)

It's quickly becoming apparent that I am going to need a special section of my blog dedicated to the talent that is Jane Badler.  This remix of "Yesterday's Tomorrows" by Ride the Universe just rocks my socks.  The slow funk groove has elevated this song even higher than it has been.  My only problem is that I want more!!  The mix starts out with this heavy beat punctuated with claps then the piano kicks in.  By the time the horns hit, if you aren't bobbing your head there must be something wrong with your neck.  The guitar and bass come in and makes it extra stanky.  It makes your lip curl and you immediately begin to want to pull out all the stops and activate full fierce diva mode.  Jane comes in and walks all over this beat like a bear skin rug and shows it who's boss.  It's so dreamy and velvety you don't want it to end.  When it does though, you immediately press play again.  I absolutely adore this remix and think I want to just lay around on a chaise and be glamorous now...

Jane Badler - Yesterday's Tomorrows (Stormby's Drama Mix)

What happens when you take an amazing song and give it to an amazing producer to remix it?  You get something brand new and super exciting.  I have talked about how Stormby has an uncanny knack of knowing how to accentuate a voice or even a nuance in a song.  What he's done in this mix is take the preexisting level of drama the song already had in droves and send it soaring through the roof.  There isn't a moment where he overshines Jane and everything he's added cradles her voice and opens the song up to a whole new audience.  The addition of the strings and the rapid fire percussion just take the song to a whole new level.  It's an amazing mix and I can't stop listening to it.

Jane Badler - Mistaken Identity EP

In the 80s, who wasn't infatuated with the stunning beauty of Diana, the leader of the alien "Visitors" from the tv movie V and then later in the full fledged series of the same name.  She won us over with the way she chewed up the scenery against our protagonist, Mark Singer and gave that role everything she had.  She made her rounds across the dial for the next 25 years and came back in 2011 to reprise her devilishly delicious role of Diana in the re-imagining of the series.  As much as we loved her as an actress did anyone know that all this time, there was an amazing vocalist hidden behind her screen persona?



She has released a new 3 track EP on Ninthwave Records called Mistaken Identity and it's incredible. Her voice is everything you would ever want it to be. She is sultry without pandering. She is vulnerable and she's coy. She's an ingénue, she's a vamp. She has an uncanny ability to take on the character of the song and give it everything she has. I believe that's her amazing acting ability coming through the lyrics and into her delivery.

The songs are smoky and delicate but they've been around the block and had their share of life handed to them.   There is a darkness to them that would make them at home in any film noir.  It's an amazing EP and it showcases her talent brilliantly.  Make sure you go to her YouTube page and watch the videos for "I Want A Lot of Boys to Cry at my Funeral" and "Four Corners to my Bed" because they are super sexy and just amazing.

Jane on the Web

www.janebadler.com
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/janebadler
Twitter: @janebadler
iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/mistaken-identity-single/id522202367
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/officialjanebadler